Self-acting supply-tank



(No Model.)

J. H. LAWLESS.

SELF ACTING SUPPLY TANK.l No. 601,474. Patented Mar. 29. 1898.

/N VENTOI? w: mams PETERS co., nuovo-mmm WASHINGTON, D. c.

STaTns NTTE Triton.

aTnNT SELF-ACTING SUPPLY-TANK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 601,474, dated March 29, 1898.

Applicationiled December 16, 1897. Serial No. 661,955. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN I-I. LAWLEss, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Acting Supply- Tanks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved selfacting supply-tank which is intended for the upper floors of tenement-houses, factories,

. and other high buildings, so that a suflicient quantity of water can be supplied automatically to all the different floors of the building without the use of special pumping apparatus. A self-acting supply-tank of similar construction was heretofore patented by me, No. 338,984, on March 30, 1886; but it was found by practical tests that said supply-tank Was operative only in case a high water-pressure was sustained in the main supply-pipe,

4.but that with a lower pressure of water 1n the same the apparatus could not perform the work of lifting the Water to the different floors of the building. As in most water-supply systems the water-pressure is not sufficient to produce the pressure required for the proper Working of my tank, it could not be successfully introduced into general use.

The object of the present invention therefore is to furnish a self-acting supply-tank which is located at the top of a building and by which a sufficient flow of Water is supplied in an absolutely reliable and eective manner when ever required an d in which the drawing off of the water from the tank assists in raising the water from the main to the supply-tank and the invention consists of a hermetically-closed su pply-tank that is provided with a supply-pipe of inverted-U shape, eX- tending through the bottom to Within a short distance from the top of the tank and down again to a point near the bottom, a dischargepipe connecting the bottom of the tank with the service-pipes, the supply and discharge pipes being provided with stop-cocks for cutting out the tank, if necessary, or disconnecting the tank from the supply and discharge pipes when required.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a vertical section through a building, showing my improved self-acting supply-tank at the top floor of the same and conlvertical section through the supply and service pipes, showing the discharge and supply pipes connected with the bottom of the tank, drawn on a larger scale.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a` hermeticallyclosed supply-tank, which is preferably made of cylindrical shape, having a dome-shaped top, and of a size proportioned to the quantity of Water required. The supply-tank A is made of sheet metal of suitable strength and is located at the top of the building at such a height that dierent sizes of basins, 8vo., can be supplied from the same.

The tank A is connected by means of a supply-pipe B with a main m, said supply-pipe passing through the bottom of the tank to a point at some distance from the top of the same and in downward direction back to a point at some distance from the bottom, forming an inverted- U -shaped supply-pipe. The supply-pipe is inserted into the interior of the tank through a discharge-pipe C, which is of sufficient diameter to permit the free introduction thereof. The discharge-pipe C is attached to the bottom of the tank and surrounds the supply-pipe B and is suitably connected with the service-pipe D, by which the apartments in the different stories of the building are supplied with Water.

The supply-pipe B and service-pipe D are provided below the tank With stop-cocks d d', by which the supply-tank can be disconnected from the supply and discharge pipes when it is necessaryto clean or repair the same. The stop-cocks are provided with vents c e', as shown in Fig. 3, for permitting the venting of the tanks and service-pipes when the same are to be emptied for repairs.

My improved self-acting supply-tank operates as follows: The water is supplied to the tank until the same is filled nearly to the top. The air is compressed at the dome-shaped top and is gradually absorbed in the Water, Whereby the airchamber is gradually reduced until the tank is almost entirely filled. As soon as the Water is drawn off through any ICO 4 one of the faucets of the service-pipe apartial l be destroyed unless the water falls below the lower end of the supply-pipe, which cannot occur during the regular workingof the tank.

The suction of the vacuum in the tank, in connection with the pressure in the main, is suficient to keep the tank always full of water, so as to supply the required quantity to the service-pipes. When it is desired to cut out the service-pipes for any reason, the stopcocks d d are closed. This opens the vente e of the same, and air is thereby supplied to the interior of the tank, which permits the emptying of the same. Simultaneously the air is supplied to the upper end of the serv ice-pipes, so that they can be entirely emptied. A number of faucets maybe opened at the same time and deliver any desired quantity of water, as the tank will be able to supply all the water required.

My improved self-acting supply-tank is intended for use in place of ordinary tanks located at the top of buildings and has the advantage that it takes up less room and is not liable to get out of order owing to the uncertain working of the float-valves or from leakage, &c.

standard of suitable height and is secured by a pin p at its top to the ceiling, so as to be firmly held in position.

The supplytank forms a valuable auxiliary to water-supply systems in which the pressure in the mains is not sufficient to'supply the required quantity of water, and it is particularly adapted for use in dwellings and small factories, in which a pumping arrangement for water would be objectionable, owing toits expense and inconvenience.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A hermetically-closed water-supply tank, provided with a supply-pipe of inverted-U shape passing through the bottom of the tank to a pointnear the top of the same and downward to a point near the bottom of the same, and a discharge-pipe at the vbottom of said i tank, said supply-pipe being connected with the main, substantially as set forth. p

2. The combination of a hermetically-closed p supply-tank,a supply-pipe extending through the bottom of the tank, to the top thereof and downward to a point near the bottom ofthe tank, a pipe connecting said supply-pipe with y the main, a discharge-pipe-in the bottom of the tank connected with the service-pipe, and

l stop-cocks having vent devices located below the tank in the supply and discharge pipes,

substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as JOHN H. LAWLESS.

Witnesses:

PAUL GOEPEL, WILLIAM B. ROBERTS.

l my invention I have signed my name in presp t ence of two subscribing witnesses. The tank is supported on a l 

